the veins run red and blue
by Trylan Aire
Summary: /AU/ The One Hundred Year World never ended. Avatar Aang failed, and the world fell into chaos and disorder. Nations are failing, monarchies are crumbling. And in a feeble attempt to unite two Nations, a Fire Nation Prince is promised to a Water Tribe Princess. In a time of war and desolation, is it possible for the World to recover?
1. gold lie promises

_First installment of 'the veins run red and blue'_

_In this AU, the One Hundred Year War never ended. Aang's attempts failed, and he had to go into hiding. He and Katara did have children, like in canon, but could not reveal Tenzin's bending to the world. Aang died, and the new Avatar was not found, and it is unknown if they are alive or where they are. And Mako and Bolin's parents are still alive. And the War is still continuing, but the Nations marry off Princes/Princesses in attempt to forge alliances. Ozai is dead, and the monarchy is in shambles, and Zuko's daughter is currently the next in line, but revolutions threaten to destroy the Fire Nation. And in this fic, Mako and Bolin's Mother was a noblewoman who had direct lineage to Ursa, and she married the Earth King's descendent, Bolin and Mako's Father. And Korra is a descendent of Yue and the prodigy of her Uncle Unalaq, the rightful chief of the Northern Water Tribe. Her Father is the Chief of the Southern Tribe, and therefore she is the rightful heir to the Southern Tribe monarchy. _

_And Mako and Korra were betrothed in a feeble attempt to create peace between the Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation. _

_That's the vague background information you need for this fic. _

She was by no means what he had expected. He had been told many a story about the unruly Water Tribe Princess and her antics, and horror stories of attempted unions between her and several other Fire Nation noblemen. None had quite worked out, usually because the Princess had terrified the men to the point where they had refused to marry her.

Mako, however, had no qualms about trying his hand at taming the infamous, savage Princess. So he had been shipped out to the South to meet her, and had been first presented with beautiful gifts of fur and ornamental blue jewelry. Nothing he had use for, but his younger brother would enjoy them. Bolin always had been interested in the customs and quirks of the Water Tribes, but he had never been eligible to marry the Princess due to his inability to fire bend. Bolin was an earth bender, therefore unable to create a stable bridge between the Southern Tribe and the Fire Nation, as a proper heir of fire was necessary.

Mako did not see or hear from the Princess for the first three days he was in the South Pole, and was instead handed off like a chore between several delegates and politicians who were insistent on showing him around the frigid, ice covered towns. There was little to see around the rural communities, but they soon arrived in the great ice cities Mako had heard so much about. The South's ice kingdoms had little comparison to the great expanse of the North's, but it was still an ethereal sight.

And when he was touring the cities, he wore traditional Fire Nation clothing, but felt stiff from the thick coats beneath his black and crimson formal wear. The people had stared at him, not entirely welcome to the idea of a child of fire strolling so casually through their Capital. The highest offense had been when a group of children threw snowballs at him. He turned abruptly, glaring at the offenders. He was faced by a short woman with hair sticking up in odd angles. Her lips were quirked up, and her smile favored the left side far more than the right.

"Do you have any idea what you just did?" he demanded. Her arms crossed firm over her chest, and her pelvis thrust out in an absolutely appalling and informal matter. This woman must have been raised by polar bear dogs.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did we get your pretty robes wet?" she asked, coolly, her tone tinged with amusement and stifled laughter. The delegate at Mako's side inhaled deeply, and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"Prince Mako, I _do_ hate to be the one to inform you- but this is Princess Korra, your betrothed." the delegate stated, gravelly. Mako was rooted in his boots for a moment, his golden eyes boring into the blue ones of the much smaller girl before him. He cleared his throat and bowed stiffly.

"It's an honor to meet you, Princess Korra."

"Yeah, it's been a real pleasure."

...

She has terrible, tedious little habits that drive him mad. He's known her for a total of fifteen minutes, and she's insulted him on seven different occasions. He's done his best to be cordial, of course, he was raised a gentleman. His Mother would be proud is she could see how he was behaving in the face of such savagery.

The girl, he still could not think of her as Korra. The name left a foul taste in his mouth. So he regarded her as 'Lady', or 'Princess'. She despised it, and made it quite clear how she felt about those titles. Her hand, the nails were bit up to the cuticles, waved impatiently in his face.

"Ko-rra. Hear that? Ko-_rra,_" she enunciated, "Didn't they teach you how to speak proper in those fancy Fire Nation academies?" He scowled down at her, and to his absolute chagrin, she returned the foul look. Her expression was not a pretty one, and he just realized how plain this girl was. There was nothing exactly eye catching about her. A common, savage girl with an ugly name and a demeanor to match.

The delegate cleared his throat, calling their attention forth. "My Lady, do you think we should return to the palace? Your Father will wish to formally meet with your husband to be."

She shrugged, her shoulders rolling back. She was quite muscular, as well, and the solidness of her build unnerved him. Women in the Fire Nation were lithe, thin and elegant. This woman was brutish, hulking and walked as if she were leading an army to battle. She was unlike any Princess he had ever met. She turned swiftly to him, and the suddenness of her movement disturbed him.

"Well, how about it, _your highness_? Fancy meeting my Father and the rest of the court?" she questioned. She was clearly mocking him, but he ignored the tone in her voice. He would not allow himself to lower to her petty level of mockery. He nodded, bowing respectfully to her.

"If you like, my Lady." he agreed. He offered her his arm and she eyed the appendage for a moment. Her hand reached up, but instead her fingertips brushed over the golden embroidery of his clothing. Her fingers followed the gold thread through the entirety of it's design.

"What is this?" she asked.

"A pheonix. It's a Fire Nation symbol." he answered. She did not answer, and her touch suddenly became distractingly heavy. He cleared his throat and dropped his arm. "Uh- are we going to go? I'm not exactly used to this temperature and it's uncomfortable."

She snapped from her reverie and nodded. "Yes, of course. Follow me, I'll take you to meet my Father and my Uncle will see you later. You'll probably like my Uncle, he's no fun either."

He glared at the back of her head as she started forward, and for a moment he wished he had learned how to breathe fire. He followed, however, dutifully behind her. He studied the Princess, instead, taking note of her habits and the way she moved. She had a strong stance, ans was clearly trained well. Her eyes kept straight ahead, and as she walked through the city streets, it became obvious she was had grown in royalty. She walked with pride, her chin raised, her chest thrown out. She walked like a King, he realized, not a Princess.

Her eyes flickered back to him, occasionally, mainly to ensure herself that he was indeed following as she had instructed. He held no weaponry, which was odd, as he was in a place foreign to him. He obviously had confidence in his bending.

"Prince Mako, welcome to my home," she bowed deeply, a smile on her lips as she did so. They were faced with an extravagantly built series of towers that stood tall and beautiful. Carved meticulously from ice and sleet, the palace overlooked the expanse of it's kingdom, which stretched from icy shore to frigid seas. "This is where the real show begins. Sir, can you please escort the Prince to the throne room?" She questioned the delegate, who nodded and bowed.

"I'll be joining you later. Try not to insult anyone, got it? My Father isn't as forgiving as I am, your highness." she warned Mako. She spoke quickly, and when she was finished, she started away. He watched her leave, and hesitated for a slight second before questioning the delegate on where the young Princess had run off to.

"I cannot say, your highness. The King is waiting, shall we go?" the man answered. Mako nodded, and as they walked up the grand, intricate staircases, he straightened his clothing. He had never met a Chief before. He had met dozens of Lords, Ladies, and nobles, but never a Chief. And certainly not a Chief of the Southern Waters. He had heard rumors and stories, just as he had heard of his betrothed, that stress the man's immense strength and brutality with his bending. Besides, this was the man who had raised the uncultured woman he had just been speaking to moments ago.

They walked through hallways made of smooth stone, and there was an air of warmth in this place, despite the chill of the outside terrain. The pair approached a wide, double wooden door. A polar bear dog was carved into the wood, painted beautifully and craftily. "The Chief is a good man, Prince, but he is vastly loyal to his people. Do not test his temper, I beg of you." the delegate warned. Mako nodded, taking this note into his account. The doors opened, and they stepped into a vast room flooded with light. Mako's fingers twitched, and his attention was immediately deterred to the roaring fire set in the far corner. Beautiful furs of unfamiliar, massive creatures decorated the walls and floor, along with several carvings and paintings with misshapen animals and stick figures. The majority was obviously crafted by a child. He wondered if there was another child in this family, other than his betrothed.

"Ah, yes, those were made by my daughter some years ago. She was never a gentle child, and I'm afraid that survived past her youth." the voice was low, guttural and Mako immediately identified it as a King's voice. Someone that knew how to speak carefully with the right people. He bowed as he turned.

"Your highness." he greeted. The man laughed, and the husky noise startled Mako.

"No need for formalities, boy. We're going to be kin in a few weeks time. Call me Tonraq." the Chief insisted. Mako nodded, though he was not quite sure he would ever grow used to calling such a large man by his common name. Tonraq moved like his daughter, chin high and chest thrown out. He stepped closer to a stone table, and poured a goblet of a deep crimson liquid. "Do you drink, Mako?"

"Not unless I have to, sir." Certain parties called for drinking, but Mako had never liked the taste of it. Wine was bitter, sour and quite unappealing.

Tonraq laughed at that. "Good. I'm sure my daughter would never tolerate a drunk," he paused and turned to Mako, "you have met her, haven't you?"

Mako was unable to meet the man's eyes, and he nodded.

"It was bad, was it?" Chief Tonraq sounded tired, suddenly, almost wary.

"Not bad, per say, sir. It was partly my fault too-" he began.

"That's doubtful. Korra is...very different from the court women you'd be used to. She was raised in solitary. Her childhood was an unsafe time, you see. I was never sure if the world was safe for her, there were assassins who wanted to end the Southern lines. She was a reckless child too, it was best to keep her hidden." Tonraq sighed.

"I understand, your highness." Mako stated.

"No, you don't. You are Fire Nation, and therefore you have been promised safety your entire life. Your people started this War, whereas my people suffered from it. Water benders were nearly extinct in the South for years. We only recently came to terms with our birthrights, thanks to Master Katara. I am not happy with this marriage. Understand that. I am tolerating your presence only because I want my daughter to be protected. If she is Fire Nation through marriage she is ensured safety for the rest of her life. And she will not hear a word of this, is that understood? My daughter is strong, but not yet strong enough to take on the War."

Mako stared ahead, his eyes focused on the flames flickering in the fireplace. Mako had learned about the massacres the Fire Nation had caused through the lessons from his Father and Mother. They had always wanted him to know the truth, though not a word could be spoken outside the safety of their home. For once in his life, Mako felt alienated. "Everything is understood, sir."

"Good. I think we'll get along well, Mako."

The doors opened then, and heavy footsteps clicked against the stone floors. Mako turned and was silent. "I see you two have been getting on pretty well. He isn't dead," she passed by Mako and lowered her voice, "_yet_." She smiled as she passed, and embraced her Father. She was wearing a dress. A pretty dress at that. It was blue, long sleeved and made of some unfamiliar fabric foreign to his home land. A simple brown fur was settled on her waist, and her hair was strung up, decorated with blue ornamental beads braided in. She looked like a Lady. Calling her a Princess was a bit of a stretch, but she certainly looked the part of a Lady. Not quite up to Fire nation standards, however. Yet, here, she looked right at home.

He swallowed and bowed at the Princess. She returned it, gathering up her skirts and curtseying like a proper lady of the courts would. He was perplexed, to say the least. Where was the uncultured, rough woman he had met only an hour before? Surely this was not her.

"Korra, have you shown the Prince the rest of the Palace? He may be interested in the stables." Tonraq suggested. She turned swiftly to him.

"Do you ride?" she asked. Mako blinked in surprise, unaccustomed to her showing such eagerness.

"I have experience with sato mobiles, and komodo rhinos-" he paused, as Korra's abrupt laugh cut through his speech. Her hand curled over his forearm.

"Oh no, we have to show you how to really experience Southern Water Tribe culture." she insisted. Her hand was surprisingly warm, and her grip was uncomfortably strong. He felt he was in no position to oppose. He merely nodded, and Korra released him, beckoning for him to follow her. He did, and he glanced over his shoulder. Tonraq stared after then, a vague smile on his lips.

"Come on, your highness, or are you too proper to have a little fun?" she called after him, her voice echoing through the stone halls. He cursed under his breath and followed her. She darted around the hallways, and he felt like he was being lead through a maze. They came to a door, eventually, and Korra forced them open. They were outside, once more, and she hastened down the steps. They stood before a massive expanse of snow. It was beautiful, really. The distance was pure white, unmarred. Blue tipped icebergs jut from the earth to greet the heavens, and the sun reflected bright of the sharp edges. She had hiked up her skirt, revealing dark blue leggings and moccasins. He should have expected as much.

"We're almost there. You aren't afraid of big animals, are you?" she called.

"No."

She looked over her shoulder and beamed. "Good." She stuck two fingers to her lips and whistled, shrilly. She stood with hands on her hips, her blue eyes focused on the distance. She laughed suddenly, and stepped forward quickly, arms open, embracing the vast empty whiteness. His brows furrowed together in confusion, and suddenly, Korra was on the ground, pinned beneath a massive furry monster. Fire erupted from his palms immediately, and the ice liquified around their feet in seconds. He heard her shouting, and the mass stood back. Korra's arms were open now in a defensive motion.

"Stop! She's not going to hurt anyone." She snapped. The fire extinguished from his palms and he stared incredulously at the woman. Her palms were out, and it looked as if she had intended to extinguish the flames with her bare hands. She was mad.

"It was attacking you-"

"No, she was playing. This is Naga. She's my best friend, and an amazing tracker." Korra corrected. His gaze followed to the big creature behind her back. It was a Polar Bear Dog, and it was the biggest creature he had ever seen in his life. It's eyes were dark, and blinked lazily at him, it's long tongue lolling from open jaws. Jaws that held dozens of very sharp, threatening looking teeth.

"Your best friend is a giant polar bear dog. Why am I not surprised." he muttered. She laughed, and her palm met the creature's forehead. It pressed into her, curling into her gentle touch. It was as tame as his brother's little fire ferret. Spirits, she had tamed a supposedly bloodthirsty creature.

"I'll take that as a compliment." She turned to her pet, and rubbed the white fur on it's side. She hoisted herself up then, making herself comfortable on it's back. Surely she didn't have any intention of - "You want to go for a ride?"

He stared at the hand she was offering him. "A ride on a notorious monster meant for murder?" he questioned dryly. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Don't be so fooled by what you hear, Prince. Now come on, I promise I won't let you fall off." He studied her for a moment, and with only slight hesitation, took her hand. She lifted him up with ease, and he steadied himself behind her. His hands hovered for a moment, unsure of where to settle.

"_For spirits sake_." she mumbled, and he did not miss that small exasperated quip. His hands tangled in the polar bear dog's fur, and he made a silent prayer to the spirits that this little expedition would not kill him.

_'That's probably her plan.' _he thought.

She whistled sharply once more, and Naga bounded forward. Snow was kicked up as they ran, and Mako had to shield his eyes from the sheer force of the icy wind and bits of snow that hit his face. His eyes narrowed and he hunched a bit lower. His heart was in his stomach, and he was sure this was against dozens of safety regulations, but it was freeing in a sense. When he looked back, the palace was hardly in view, and all that was ahead was acres of only snow. No borders, no walls, absolutely nothing except wilderness.

Korra clicked her tongue to the roof of her mouth, and Naga darted to the side, breaking her speed in a sharp curve. Mako yelped aloud, and suddenly he was submerged in snow, buried up to the neck in the downy wetness. His eyes were squeezed shut and all he could hear was her laughter. When he opened them, she was bent over him, her hand out. She was laughing, and he noticed the dimple indented deep into the left corner of her cheek. The tip of her nose was red, and her eyes were watery from laughter. His throat went dry.

"You look ridiculous." she informed him. He sat up quickly then, shaking himself free of the snow. His teeth chattered from the cold.

"You did that on purpose." he accused, though his speech came out wavering as he shivered from the ice in his clothing. She shrugged, pursing her lips. She clasped her hand in his and she helped him up.

"Maybe." she allowed. She was silent for a moment. "It was amazing, wasn't it? Like flying." she said. Her tone was somber, almost hesitant. His eyes moved down to his curled fists and he nodded.

"Yes. It was...wasn't like anything I've ever experienced before." he said. She smiled, and shrugged.

"That's the South Pole, for you. Now, let's get you back into the warmth." she suggested, turning back to Naga. She lifted herself on, and pulled him on after her. This time, his hands settled on her waist. She smiled to herself, and once more urged Naga to jog forward. When they returned to the palace, Korra dismounted first.

"We're going to be okay, aren't we? I mean, it's not going to be easy...but it'll work." she stated suddenly. He paused, unsure of how to respond. He chose to offer a small smile.

"I don't know. I hope so."

She nodded. "Go inside, I'll be there in a second." she told him. He walked up the stairs and paused before the doors. When he turned, she was cradling Naga's head in her arms like a child. His smile faded and turned away from her. She was certainly not what he had expected. And he was still unsure if that was a good thing or not.


	2. slipping off the course that we prepared

_Second installment of 'the veins run red and blue'_

_Dear Mako,_

_I take it you've arrived by now, seeing as I sent this letter only a day after you left. It's lonely here, without you, but Pabu and I are managing well, so don't worry. Enjoy yourself! You could use some fun! And don't be so hard on your feral Princess, she's probably not as bad as everyone says. Send a picture if you can! Anyway, politics here are as chaotic as ever. General Iroh is trying to control everything, but it's harder now. Something else is going on, something bigger than the War. I don't know what, yet. Be careful, big brother. _  
_Write soon, _  
_Bolin_

The letter was scrawled out in hurried, messy script, the letters meshing together and inky fingerprints pressed to crumpled parchment. Bolin had never really payed much attention in calligraphy instruction. Mako could not even bring himself to smile at the familiarity of the words and the crisp touch of new parchment. He wondered what his brother meant by 'something else is going on'. The Fire Nation's monarchy had crumbled years ago, when the Mad Fire Lord Azula had been overthrown by the Banished Prince and the Avatar's Blood Queen. Mako had been told stories of the duel in his childhood. How the scorned daughter of the Moon had bent the royal blood in the Fire Lord's veins, and forced her to a defeat. She had done this only when the Banished Prince had been wounded. It had been said that the very chains Master Katara had wound around the Mad Princess' wrists had ended the War. Others had said the chains had only sparked an even larger Revolution. Mako was not sure which it was, but he had loved hearing the tales as a child. The stories seemed to take place in such a different World than the one he had grown up in.  
He had always known he was born with a number imprinted into him. He was a simple pawn in the Fire Nation's attempts to amend for their previous sins. The War was not over. Not by far. The World was healing, however. Very slowly.

And this was why he was stuck in a formal contract, forced to marry a stranger with an even stranger homeland. His betrothed was a madwoman, he was positive. What kind of Princess kept a polar bear dog as a pet? Such a thing was unheard of where he was from. Then again, most of what he had seen of Korra would have been unheard of in the Fire Nation. She was rough, her gait far too aggressive and masculine. She walked as if she were looking for a fight. And perhaps she was. Her fists were constantly curled, whether they were at her sides or crossed over her chest. As if she was constantly on edge. It was unsettling, truthfully.

"Prince Mako?" he heard the muffled voice through the heavy wooden doors, and he moved immediately to open it. It was a smaller woman, whose full height had hardly measured up to his elbow. She was dressed in blue, as everyone was in this place, but she was distinctive in appearance. While her hair was contained in twin binds that draped down her front, she stood tall, her hands folded over her lap. She had a warm smile that reached her eyes, and as he studied her, he was struck by how identical she was to his betrothed. He knelt immediately, bowing respectfully towards the woman. She laughed, and touched his shoulder.

"Prince, there is no need for that. My name is Senna, and I'm Korra's Mother."

Obviously. The resemblance between the two was striking. He straightened and nodded, allowing himself to smile a bit at her gentle tone. "I'm sorry I was absent from your initial meeting with my husband. I hope he didn't scare you _too_ much." she said.

"No, your Highness, he was very cordial." he hastened to defend the Chief. The Queen smiled.

"Cordial." she repeated, her tone hinting at her skepticism. "I wasn't aware my husband was capable of being _cordial_. Korra certainly did _not_ inherit that trait from him, then." she laughed, and he found himself laughing as well. He liked Senna. He wondered how such a kind woman had raised such a beast of a daughter.

"And I hope Korra hasn't made a bad impression. She's not...well...good at interaction with people. I assume you met Naga. That polar bear dog is the only company my daughter keeps. I suppose it isn't entirely her fault- she was isolated for so long." she sighed, moving her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. Mako nodded, not quite sure how to respond to her words. Isolated. That explained very much of Korra's behavior. She was not totally uncivilized, more socially inept than anything.

"Well, I'm afraid this..._union_ hasn't been very easy for her to handle either. It was a bit unexpected, for the both of us." he admitted. Senna laughed, and shook her head.  
"No, if anything she was_ so_ looking forward to meeting you. You are her chance at a life, a new life- a good one where she is happy. A life where she has many more opportunities than this land of ice could ever offer her." Senna corrected him. The woman glanced over towards the door for a moment, and offered her arm to him.  
"Walk with me, will you, Prince? My brother in law is arriving with his absolutely delightful children today, and I've promised Korra that I would be there. She absolutely despises them, she says they smell like mothballs and a grandmother's attic." she laughed. He accepted her hand, slipping his arm through the crook of her elbow.

They walked, and spoke, and Mako was absolutely delighted at how natural it felt. He felt welcome, like he belonged walking in these halls. He quickly discarded that feeling, knowing the idea of belonging_ here_ was ludicrous.

He was quiet, though, unsure of how to respond to her previous statement- or even how to move. His hands balled into fists, opening and closing.. "I...I was unaware- of Korra's...history, I mean."

Senna nodded, turning her head to examine the Fire Nation man. He shifted uneasily under her careful, calculating gaze. Her hand rose suddenly, and her calloused, working fingers seized his chin. She studied him, tilting his head from side to side. He cleared his throat, and averted his eyes to the long hallways, and the spacious rooms they were passing.  
"Pardon me, Prince- I was just imaging those eyes on my grandchildren, and your cheekbones, of course."

"Your Highness-" he sputtered, stepping back from the Water Tribe cheifwoman. She laughed behind her hands and bowed to him.

"It was nice meeting you, Prince Mako. It is an honor to receive you- and an honor to welcome you into my family," she stated, smiling gently in a way he had not yet seen on his betrothed, "I know our ways may seem...odd...but I assure you, we are not as uncultured as your people believe us to be. Give us a chance, your highness, and I assure you we- _she _will prove herself."

The words hung in the somber air, and he was left speechless once more. His throat felt thick, his shoulders sagged with the heavy weight of the woman's words.

"Ah, there's my daughter." she relinquished her hold on his arm, and swept past him, arms open. Korra melted into her Mother's arms, her brows pinched together and her lips curled up wide in that horrible crooked grin he supposed he would have to grow used to. Korra's chin rested on her Mother's shoulder, and her eyes flicked up to meet his. Her expression hardened immediately, her lips pressing thinly together. She straightened, fists curling. Senna's hands remained firm on her daughter's shoulders, and her lips moved, speaking words Mako was too far to hear. Korra nodded, her shoulders dipping just slightly.

She started towards him then, and he became quite aware of her formal dress. Blue gown, white fur trim and hair twisted up in a formal, distinctly old fashioned Water Tribe series of braids and twists that resulted in an odd pin at the top of her head. She was frowning, stiffly holding her dragging skirts up from the icy grounds.

"You look..." he began, not quite sure how to explain her current appearance.

"Do not try, your _Highness. _This is all a show for my Uncle, the high and mighty Chief of the Northern Tribes himself. Along with my absolutely _dandy_ cousins, you are going to love them- just like you, sticks in the mud, all proper and regal and everything."

He frowned. "That's a fine way to speak to your fiance."

She was silent then, her eyes darting down to the snow. Her fists bunched around the fabric of her gown, and her chin turned away from him. His hand moved forward then, his hand brushing over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry...K-Korra. I didn't mean-"

She interrupted him, once more, by pulling from his touch. "Uncle."

His hand fell to his side, curling instead to a fist at his side. A man, tall in stature, and dressed in long, formal dress, approached, his sharp chin held high. When he met his niece, they were still, neither moving to bow or hug- or anything really. They stared at one another with hard, unwavering intensity that Mako could feel from his position twenty feet behind. Senna sighed, and closed in at his side.

Korra bowed then. "Uncle." His eyes, darker than Korra's, were beady and unmoving, despite his niece's submission. When she straightened, her hands clasped around his, her lips curling up wider. "How was your trip?"

"Well enough. The Moon Spirit was diligently watching over our travels." he stated. She nodded. Her Uncle's eyes, Mako found he did not like their beady calculating expression one bit, found his. "And who is this?"

Korra turned, beaming. She strode up to Mako, with such eagerness that Mako took an uneasy step back. Her hand looped through his arm, and her smile was wrong- far too forced and not reaching her eyes as it usually did. He forced himself to look up at the man she was motioning toward. They looked nothing alike, and Mako was eternally grateful Korra had inherited her Mother's appearance rather than his. "Uncle, this is my betrothed, Prince Mako of the Fire Nation. My Prince," the disgusting, sugary sweet falsity of her tone was terrible, "this is my Uncle Unalaq, Chief of the Northern Water Tribes and descendent of the Moon Princess herself."

The title was odd and unfitting, and the stiff, hard looking man did not go cohesively with the descriptions he had heard of Yue, a legend among all regions of the world. He smiled, despite himself, and bowed deeply to the man. "It is an honor, sir." he stated. Korra's grip loosened just slightly on his arm, and her fingers instead rested lightly on his bicep. Her touch was uncomfortably warm. He cleared his throat.

Two figures followed closely behind the Chief, and as they drew closer, it was quite difficult to distinguish their genders. He studied the two. draped in long, dark robes, with their lank, brown hair falling down their chests. Their eyes were clear, nearly opaque with their absence of color, and their gazes were unsettling. Korra bowed, and Mako followed her example immediately.  
"My cousins, Princess Eska and Prince Desna." she introduced.

The two made no movements, and their lips pressed into thin lines. An uneasy silence followed their introduction, and Senna broke it with a cheery suggestion that they retire to the throne room. As they made their way into the grand hallways, Korra tugged a bit on his arm, urging him to fall behind the troupe. His chin tilted down and he stared at her.  
"They're horrible, huh?" she muttered, jutting her chin out towards the newcomers.

"They are...an unenthusiastic group." he admitted. She scoffed, rudely, and smiled.

"That's an understatement." she said. "They're so stiff and boring, it's like talking to a wall. I have more stimulating conversations with Naga."  
He laughed, and the noise startled her. When his eyes opened, she was beaming up at him, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

"You can laugh!" she announced, pointing a finger at him. His shoulders went rigid and his eyes fell down to the cobblestone flooring.

"I'm not as inhuman as you believe me to be." he returned. She shrugged, lips still upturned.

"We'll see. Anyway, you have a nice laugh, you should do it more."

His cheeks burned, and he turned his face away from her scrutinizing gaze. Her hand slid from his arm, and her fingers lingered just slightly on his shoulder.

"Relax, alright? You don't have to act so formal and- well, _Fire Nation_ around me. I understand duty and the need to maintain honor- but we don't have to act like that. I-I mean if we're going to be...married," she struggled over that word, "we may as well learn to be ourselves around one another, right? We may as well learn to like each other, even. It's going to be very exasperating life if we know nothing about each other."

He nodded. "Alright. Yes, I mean. W-What do you want to know?"

Her lips pursed. "Everything. Anything. Tell me what it was like growing up in the Fire Nation. Tell me about your family. Tell me anything."

"Alright. Only if you do the same." he agreed.

She smiled, and offered him her hand. He hesitated and lifted his up. Her pinky curved around his, and she locked them together. "It's a deal, then."

"A deal."

Their hands fell at their sides, and they continued on down the hallways in a comfortable silence. When they reached the throne room, the cousins were seated stiffly in fur laden chairs, staring uninterestedly at the feast stretched out across the massive table.

"You must be famished from your journey, please, enjoy the meal." Senna encouraged her brother in law. Korra took a seat beside the head of the table, and Mako took his place beside her.

His eyes followed the seemingly endless trays of food. Korra elbowed him, shaking him rudely from his reverie. "Eat." she stated.  
Senna smiled from across the table.

"You have not lived until you have eaten a full Water Tribe meal. Eat as much as you like, Mako. You're far too skinny, anyhow, we have to put a bit of weight on you." she teased. Mako smiled at the woman, and nodded. Korra stabbed a hearty helping of some sort of meat, and lay it on his plate.

"She means it, you know. She'll make you eat until you explode." she whispered.

He smiled, again, and lowered his tone to whisper back," I have a brother."

Her eyes lifted up to meet his, and she recognized what he was doing immediately. "Really? What's his name?"

"Bolin, and he loved water tribe food. He would ask the chefs to cook him seaweed noodles all the time, it drove them _mad_." he told her, smiling fondly at the memories. Korra laughed, as well.  
"Tell him he's welcome here anytime. Master Katara makes the _best_ seaweed noodles."

"He would love to visit. I'll tell him next time he writes."

The food was good, a bit bland for his taste, but good. He as accustomed to rich spices and bold flavors, but the food of the Water Tribe was saltier, tougher, and much more filling. He felt heavy after the meal, and he vaguely wondered how anyone here managed to maintain their muscular forms. Korra had eaten as much as her Father, and she was in fantastic shape. She was stronger than any woman he had met, by far. Her arms were toned, the skin sculpted and warm to the touch, along with the easing slopes of her hips, not at all hidden beneath those blue robes. His fingers curled instinctively over the arms of the chairs. Her hair was falling loose from the ridiculous style she had worn it in, stray strands of brown curled down and framed her cheeks, her bangs curling over bright eyes. She looked best in blue, he decided. The color complimented her skin tone perfectly, and her eyes- _spirits_ her eyes- were brighter and more lively when she wore that particular shade of cerulean.

"Did you hear my Uncle?" she hissed, suddenly. He jumped, his knee knocking into the bottom of the table, upsetting the platters of food and alarming those sitting around it.

"I-er, I was distracted. Excuse me, I apologize." he hastened to excuse his behavior. Her expression was that of disbelief, but her lips curled up wide, in that crooked grin. Her hands cupped around her lips, covering her smile. He vaguely wished she wouldn't do that- he quite liked her smile.  
"I was merely asking about the ceremony." Unalaq repeated himself. his tone edged with resentment for having to restate his question.

"Oh- the ceremony. Well, we have- not much planning has gone on just yet. However, we will most likely begin soon. We haven't much time...this is an arranged affair, after all." he answered, dutifully. "It was stated from the beginning that this was a politically strategic arrangement, and I'm sure the wedding will commence soon enough." He repeated what he had been told my dozens of people back home. This wedding was meant to unite nations, nothing more. Emotions had little to do with this, he reminded himself.

Korra's lips pressed firm together, and she would not meet his eyes when she spoke, "As the Prince said, Uncle, our arrangement is just that- an _arrangement_. We have very little say in anything. If we had, I doubt we would have the honor of the Prince's presence." she spat out.

"_Korra_." Senna whispered, her eyes narrowed a bit. Korra stood quickly, her skirts held tight in her fists.

"If you will excuse me, I am going to busy myself...with anything else other than this dinner. It is an honor to receive you, Uncle, cousins. Good night." she swept away, her chin held high, her eyes staring ahead.

"It seems our cousin Korra has not lost her flair for dramatics." one of the twins spoke, and the droll tone startled Mako.

"Excuse my daughter, brother. She is not herself. This entire arrangement is very hard for her to adjust to." Senna said. Unalaq nodded.

"She must face this. It is her duty, after all, and it is an honor to be chosen for such a task."

_Task_. Mako repeated that word in his mind. This was a task, he reminded himself. This was not a marriage, but a political agreement between unstable countries. A Princess for a Prince. Their betrothal was a union of nations rather than two people. Senna's tired eyes rested on him, and he grew uncomfortable beneath her disappointed gaze.

...

Night had fallen, and he was bundled tight in several layers of thick furs. The temperature here seldom rose over twenty degrees, and not even his firebending could warm him enough for his comfort. Then again, he _was_ wandering the halls of the castle late at night, when he _should_ have been tucked into the safe, warm comfort of his bed.

He had tried to sleep, but his efforts were futile. All he could think about was her expression when she had stalked out of the dining hall, her fists curled. She had looked so _angry_.

So he had done the only rational thing- and he had found her bedroom and planned to approach her directly. His fingertips brushed over her name, carved neatly in bold, cursive letters, into the heavy wood of her door. He smiled at the sign. It was so absolutely _her _to have such a brazen announcement outside her door. His fingers trailed down to the intricate carvings that bordered the doorway. Polar bear dogs, he found, were imprinted into the wood, in several poses. Predictable, but beautiful.  
The door opened suddenly, and his collar was seized by a hand. He was jerked forward forcefully, and the door was slammed behind him.

"What are you _doing_? My Uncle is patrolling the hallways, you_ idiot- _can you imagine what he would have thought if he found you outside my doorway_?" _Korra demanded, glaring at him. She maintained a death grip on his collar, and despite her short stature, she looked quite threatening in the dim lighting. Her face was contorted into an expression of anger, her lips pressed thinly and her eyes narrowed. His lips parted, but his throat was dry. He was unable to form any words. She was much too close, he could feel her breathe fanning over his exposed throat.

She released her grip on him, and turned away from him.  
"What are you doing here, anyway? Isn't it a bit scandalous for the great Prince to be strolling through a castle at this hour?" she asked. Her tone allowed no hint of humor in it.

"I wanted to...check on you. You were upset earlier."

"I was _not_ upset." she retorted immediately, crossing her arms firmly over her chest. He hesitated.

"You seemed upset."

"I was not upset." she repeated harshly. He shifted uneasily on his feet.

"That's a lie, and you know it. You left in the middle of dinner without explanation- why?" he demanded.

"Because- because I was angry! Not upset! I'm angry with this entire mess. I did not ask to be forced into this marriage- I'm just as disappointed as you are. And I know how angry you are- _you_ got stuck with the feral Princess." she snarled. "I know what you call me back in _your_ country. She-beast, the crazed wild woman of the South. I got stuck with you, too, you know! _You_, you stuffy, royal, Prince of propriety- Spirits you are a _prick." _

_"_Why are you yelling at me? This isn't _my_ fault!" he retorted.

He inhaled sharply, and exhaled. His hand rose to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Listen...you drive me crazy, but I care about you, alright?"

She rotated on her heel quickly, her hands gripping his collar once more. Her lips pressed to his, and suddenly an unfamiliar warmth flooded through him. She was so warm, so deliciously warm, and then suddenly it was gone. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes still closed. She was silent for a moment, and then she looked up at him, waiting for a response.

"You kissed me." he stated.

Her lips curled down and she snorted, "_You_ kissed me back."

"What does this mean?" he asked. She shrugged, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"I don't know."

"I-I think I'm going to go back to sleep." he said, his voice low. She nodded, and when he stepped out of her room, she shut the door slowly.

"Spirits, what did I do to deserve _this_?"

...

_Dear Bolin, _

_I am going crazy. My impending insanity is entirely caused by this Princess. She certainly is insane, and it's catching. Princess Korra keeps a polar bear dog as a pet, and treats it like a child. Not to mention her attitude is horrible and her manners are nonexistent. One moment she is civil and a decent person to associate with, and the next she is insulting me and threatening me.  
This girl is crazy. She is unlike anyone I have met before.  
And I think I may actually care about her. Send medical help.  
Stay safe,  
_

_Mako_

_..._


End file.
